It has been reported that Azmi Sharom, a legal professor in UM, will be charged under the Seditious Act for his comments on the Selangor MB crisis.

DEMA strongly condemns the authority for violating the fundamental right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

We also demands Najib Razak to resign as the Prime Minister of Malaysia for allowing the oppressive laws to continue to haunt the people despite the announcement to abolish them in 12 July 2012.

It is shocking that the Government, after having initiated several charges under the same law against the people representatives from the Pakatan Rakyat, has now started to intimidate academicians who had simply expressed their opinions in their professional capacity.

Furthermore, it is undoubtedly clear that, at a time where new students are being enrolled into the universities, it is the Government’s intention to also warn the new students not to be too keen in applying their knowledge to social, political and economic issues.

We urge all students in this country to stand in solidarity with Professor Azmi Sharom. Freedom of expression which includes the academic freedom is not something peculiar only to the academicians. Reciprocal to the scholar’s right to academic freedom is the students’ right to unbiased education and the right not to be indoctrinated. We certainly do not want our professors to teach against their best knowledge and conscience for fear of repression by the Government, contrary to the interest of the students.